Malia Yoshioka presents Day Trip: Kona Coffee Country posted at WhyGo Hawaii, saying, “I recently returned from a trip to Kona where I was able to stay a night in the town of Holualoa in the “Kona Coffee Belt,” about 15 minutes from Kona. It was a wonderful getaway, higher up in the mountains with the cooler air and hundreds of coffee orchards. The farmers are all really friendly and passionate about growing some of the world’s best coffee. Just had to share!”

That sounds so wonderful, Malia! I wanted to stay at Kula Lodge on our next trip to Maui (whenever that might be!) but hubby doesn’t like being cut off from civilization and modern technology. A laptop will still work! Nope, not good enough. Gotta have the TV. Their rooms have no televisions!

I pulled Cynthia in to help us continue with the admiration of our natural surroundings.

We do love our flowers and we also love our culture! The Big Island of Hawaii gives us both, as you can see.

Pua had the urge to share Hawaii Hula Festival Videos with everyone, saying that “Big Island visitors [can] visit the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival at Easter in Hilo. Hula competitions which require tickets are sold out but Wedsnesday nights are open to everybody and of course all the other good stuff: Hawaiian art + crafts fair, grand parade through Hilo and more. Enjoy the hula in Hawaii!” Great videos, Pua, thank you!

Being close to the the natural parts of our World is a wonderful thing. There are times when the mountains and streams just seem to call to me. Of course there are a few other events and places that speak to me as well!

Kalaeloa Raceway Park talks to me! In its own way this little start-up has reached out to many people in the community. For me it is the restoration of something lost to my strange mentality and to the O’ahu racing community some time ago. After Hawaii Raceway Park shut some of us watched and waited for what seemed like forever — waiting for something or someone to come along and save, restore, or replace it! As it worked out, all we got was more bad news.

Suddenly the most wonderful thing happened — Kalaeloa Raceway Park! I know, I know, they’re thinking, “Whatta you mean suddenly?!? We’ve been working hard to make this happen!” I am so very proud of you guys! Now, Kalaeloa Raceway Park (KRP) continues to grow and make the racing community happy and proud! For the record, I do not race. It was just part of my past that needed to be restored. Don’t ask, just go with it.

I am also very happy and grateful for KRP’s sponsors:

I love all this entrepreneurial stuff! I hope this list of sponsors, that I swiped from KRP’s web site, continues to grow — longer and longer!

Aloha Evelyn! My family still lives in upcountry Maui and my mom actually got married at Kula Lodge a few years ago. It’s got gorgeous views of Maui! =) I’ve never actually stayed there but I do love to visit for breakfast on the way down from watching the sunrise at Haleakala whenever we go.

Hi Malia! I tried to get him to go watch the sunrise but he’s weird about the height. I was lucky to get him up to Ali’i Kula Lavender! LOL! I think Sheila has mentioned their breakfast in the past. Sigh. Yummy — me want pancakes! 🙂

Please join us more often, Malia! There is so much we all don’t get to see and I love when I can “see” it through your eyes! 🙂

What an entertaining Aloha Carnival reflecting a huge variety of stories and events Hawaii has to offer to its visitors. With our personal April travel, I just found the time NOW to peruse the different Hawaii blog posts.

Much mahalo Evelyn for including my blog post about the Hilo Merie Monarch Hula Festival even though I was a bit late with my submission.

A special ‘E Komo Mai’ to Cheryl from HawaiiVacationGifts. Happy to see you back too.